Washington, DC, and Lindon, UT – Footnote.com and the National Archives and Records Administration held a press conference at the Archives in Washington, DC, to announce the release of an online interactive photo of the Vietnam War Memorial. In addition to releasing this unique
version of the Wall, Footnote.com enables visitors to search the Wall for people they know and pay tribute by adding photos, comments and stories of those who lost their lives during the Vietnam conflict.

“The Wall is more than just 58,000 plus names,” explains Richard
Schroepfer, a Vietnam War Veteran. “Many of these people were my friends.
And now Footnote.com helps me create a remembrance of these fine gentlemen.”
View a video of Richard Schroepfer and his experience with the Wall on Footnote.com.

Footnote.com started the project by contracting the expertise of Peter Krogh,
a National Geographic photographer, who was given the challenge to photograph
the entire wall. Creating this online version of the Wall required almost
1,500 individual photos that were stitched together to create one single image. The
process took over five months and resulted in an image that is nearly five
gigapixels in size. Despite the immense size, just about anyone can view
the image on Footnote.com via an Internet connection.

Footnote.com partnered with the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to link the service records
and casualty reports to each name on the Wall. “The records of the Vietnam
War in the National Archives are essential resources for veterans to revisit
their history and establish their rights,” explains Archivist of the
United States Allen Weinstein. “These extensive files are mined by scholars
every day as they continue to interpret and understand this pivotal period
in American history.” Footnote.com will also be digitizing National Archives photos from the Vietnam War.

Finding someone on the Wall is as simple as typing a name into a search box
and letting Footnote.com quickly locate and zoom into the area of the Wall where the individual name can be viewed. Once the name is located, visitors
can see the soldier’s service record and view comments, stories and photos
that have been contributed by other visitors.

“Footnote.com is about discovering, discussing, and sharing the stories of our past,” says Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “We know
that there are many untold experiences represented on that Wall, and we hope
that this interactive version of the memorial helps those affected by the war
by sharing their stories.”

Footnote.com also provides a way for visitors to create a tribute page dedicated
to the brave men and women who served in Vietnam, who may not be on the Wall.
These pages become a way for veterans, family and friends to share experiences
and feelings about this event that has had a great impact on so many. Footnote.com
hopes that this interactive Wall becomes a means for healing and paying tribute
to those whose sacrifice and service have been underappreciated for so long.View the Interactive Wall on Footnote.com.

About Footnote, Inc.

Footnote.com is a subscription
web site that features searchable original documents, providing users with an
unaltered view of the events, places and people that shaped the American nation
and the world. At Footnote.com, all are invited to come share, discuss, and
collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For
more information, visit www.footnote.com.

About The National Archives

NARA alone is the archives of the Government of the United States, responsible
for safeguarding records of all three branches of the Federal Government. The
records held by the National Archives belong to the public – and it is
the mission of the National Archives to ensure the public can discover, use,
and learn from the records of their government.